© BLR ® —Business & Legal Resources 1408 Business Ethics What Employees Need to Know.
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Transcript of © BLR ® —Business & Legal Resources 1408 Business Ethics What Employees Need to Know.
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Business Ethics
What Employees Need to Know
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Session Objectives
Recognize the importance of business ethics
Understand the requirements of the law and our ethics policy
Identify ethical problems on the job
Make ethical decisions
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Prequiz: How Much Do You Already Know?
Business ethics is only a management issue.
It’s OK to cut ethical corners a little if it increases profits.
There’s no reliable way to know if you havean ethical problem.
No laws require businesses and employees to act ethically.
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
What Is Business Ethics?Business ethics—a standard of acceptable behavior on the job; a set of rules by which to judge decisions and conduct in the workplace
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Why Is Ethical Conduct Important?
“Being good is good business.”
—Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Legal Requirements• Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
• Conduct
• Decision making
• Interactions
Ethics Policy
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Values• Integrity
• Loyalty
• Respect
• Accountability
• Fairness
• Responsibility
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Common Reasons for Unethical Behavior• Pressure
• Uncertainty
• Self-interest
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Common Reasons for Unethical Behavior (cont.)
• Misguided loyalty
• Lack of personal values
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Problem Areas• Conflicts of interest
• Relationships
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Problem Areas (cont.)
• Communication
• Confidentiality
• Laws and regulation
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Doing the Right Thing: Your Choice
Integrity
Expediency
Accountability
Responsibility
Self-interest
Which are ethical values?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
ReviewDo you understand:
• What business ethics is and why it’s important?
• Legal requirements?
• Ethics policy?
• Ethical values?
• Common reasons for unethical conduct?
• Ethical problem areas?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
How Do You Know If You Have an Ethical Problem?• Discomfort
• Guilt
• Stress
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
How Do You Know If You Have a Problem? (cont.)
• Anger
• Embarrassment
• Fear
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Decision Making
• Issues
• Facts
• Individuals
• Assistance
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Decision Making (cont.)
• Options
• Thoughts
• Feelings
• Decision
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Questions to AskPolicies?
Laws?
Approval?
Precedents?
Fairness?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Questions to Ask (cont.)
Pressure?Interests?
Confirmation?
Support?
Pride?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Quick Check
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethics and CustomersIf customers feel they have been mistreated, cheated, or lied to, we will lose their business
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethics and Vendors
• Follow code of conduct
• Maintain proper relations
• Report unethical proposals
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethics and Vendors
• Accept gifts or gratuities
• Request favors
• Agree to unusual deals
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Ethical Decision Making: True or False?
If you’re embarrassed about a decision, it could be unethical.
It’s best not to discuss ethical decisions with others.
You should find out how similar situations have been handled in the past when making decisions involving ethical issues.
It’s OK to accept gifts from vendors.
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
ReviewDo you understand:
• How to identify ethical problems?
• Ethical decision making?
• Questions to ask about possible ethical issues?
• Ethical concerns in regard to customers and vendors?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1408
Key Points to Remember
Ethical conduct is required
Understand and follow the ethics policy
Examine actions and decisions
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t
Consult your boss